A Night In, Spike's Thoughts
by Cherazor
Summary: The episode 'A Night In', only in Spike's POV. What did Spike think during the evening?


Hello Everyone. Yes, this is my first Press Gang fan fiction, and I truly hope you guys who read this will like it. It took me a couple of hours, and I'm rather proud over it, I think I managed to pin down Spike's attitude rather well. Anyway, as the title says – everything is in Spike's P.O.V. so that's why some details from the actual episode.

Anyway, read and Review. So, if you guys like it; I might write more of these. Heh, I probably will, anyway.

-Cherry

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**_"A Night in" – Spike's thoughts_**

                      It seemed to be great day when I woke up. I glanced at the clock; it was already twelve o' clock so I decided to finally get up from bed. Hey, I'm a teen! Can you blame me for being in my bad at this time? Yes? Well, if I pout like this? No? I thought so.

                      People have always said I've been full of myself or, as Lynda puts it; "Full of something". But hey, I can't help it. It's always been in my nature to be quick-tongued and cocky. Of course, it's hard to be so humble when you are as good looking as me.

                      Anyway, I quickly jumped out of bed while grabbing a pair of jeans and a sweater and quickly pulled them on. I fumbled a bit with my socks; it's hard to manage putting on a pair of socks when you're not a morning person.

                      When I finally had managed to get both of my socks on properly, I took my comb from my nightstand and combed my hair quickly. I threw the comb onto the nightstand again when I was done.

                      So, I was almost done; I took my leather-jacked from its hook and grabbed my sunglasses - or shades, as those Brits like to call it - and walked out from my room.

                      "Yo, pop! I'm going out." I shouted while I made me some toast. I could hear a muffled grunt, so I took it as he had heard me. I walked out from the kitchen and into the hall, with my toast stuck in my mouth, and started to tie my shoes. I took a bite from my toast, swallowed and laid the rest of my toast onto the bench beside me. "Okay, lefty you're done," I started to tie my right shoe, "and now it's your turn righty."

                      When I was done, I looked at my feet for half a second before I started walking. "Okay, his left foot has the lead, but his right one is quick and is soon beside the left one…" And so I walked for a while, it was a bit hard to eat toast at the same time as I commented my shoes, but somehow I managed. And before I knew it, I was in front of the Junior Gazette's building.

                      And if I remembered correctly, Lynda had said something about a meeting at eleven thirty a.m. Oh, well. Better late then never, right?

                      So, I marched in, still commenting my feet. I opened the door and walked through the newsroom as I saw Lynda at the other end of the room. "And his right foot takes the lead, but his left foot catches up. Now his right foot comes back, and as they round the first turn his feet are neck and neck, which is a pretty good trick for feet. But what's this up ahead? A couple of female admirers. Don't think much of yours!"

                      She turned around and smiled. "Spike, how sweet!" she said, "You've found a couple of friends."

                      I smiled my usual charmy smile that mostly made the girls swoon. "Well, you know what they say - always stand by your feet. Anyway kid, I'd love to stay and talk, but your blouse doesn't match your skirt and it's really annoying me." I started to walk away. "His left, his right, his left..."

                      …But her next words made me turn back. "Spike, have you got anything on tonight?"

                      I jumped back, flashing her a smile. "Just my kidney transplant. They can mail it to me." I said, hoping for a date or something like that. I've always said that no one can resist my charm for long.

                      "Good!" She said, handing me a yellow note. Ugh, sometimes I really hate myself for being so down into her. This time she had really managed to fool me.

                      "Aww. No! Come on Lynda. Not a yellow, it's a Saturday!" But of course, she ignored me.

                      I simply looked at my yellow note for a while, pondering weather or not I would come. Then I came to a decision. I crumpled the note in my hand at the same time as I heard Lynda shout out, from the graphics room: "Yeah, that's okay, Sarah!"

                      As she was occupied in there, I saw my chance and started to walk out. "…And his left foot is leading on the final leg, and as his arm goes out to reach for the door handle, the crowd is going absolutely..." But, apparently she had seen the crumpled yellow note sooner then I thought she would. So as I reached out to open the door, her hand quickly shot out and closed it again. "…Wild."

                      She held up my crumpled yellow note as she asked: "What is this?"

                      I glanced at her behind my sunglasses, and it was clear that she was *not* amused. "Well," I said, not being able to be serious for a second, "either it's a ball of screwed up yellow paper or you've done something horrible to a canary."

                      That really didn't make her any happier, as I quickly noticed. "Spike, once a month I ask you to do late duty in the newsroom. Is that such a big deal?"

                      "From five-thirty to ten o'clock on a Saturday night? Yeah, that's a big deal! I'm not doing it!" I reached out to open the door, but, or course, she closed it again.

                      "Can I just remind you of a few basic facts about life?"

                      "Sure. I'll tell you when you reach my favorite." 

                      "You joined the Junior Gazette because you had to. Because it was either that or getting kicked out of the school."

                      "That's not it." I said.

                      "This place is your last chance, Thomson." I hate it when she uses my last name. Well, at least she didn't say "James".

                      "Yeah, right." I said while opening the door again, but this time she slammed it shut. Man, she must be strong for her height. I swear my ears were ringing minutes after that.

                      "Which means…" She continued. "One phone call from me to Sullivan saying you're not pulling your weight and you are out, with a capital everything. And I don't just mean out of the Gazette, Thomson. I mean out of the school. You don't turn up tonight, I make that phone call."

                 "Make your phone call! I won't be here!" I said, angry over that she had threatened me with that. She knew I wasn't only on the Gazette for that! And she knew that if she called, I was out from school. Out. Just because I didn't want to take a yellow. And complaining? Nah. What's my word, a hooligan, against a top-student like Lynda?

                      "Hey, Spike, come on. This is…" Kenny started, obviously trying to calm me down, but Lynda interrupted him, which only made me angrier.

                      "Kenny, give me Sullivan's home phone number, now!"

                      "Lynda, come on!" Sarah said, pleadingly.

                      Kenny tried again. "Look, you two, let's just leave it…"

                      This time, I was the one who interrupted him. "Shut up, Kenny. You're spoiling her fun."

                      "Why don't we just leave it…" He started.

                      "Shut up, Kenny - you're spoiling my fun!" Lynda said, copying my words.

                      "Lynda, this is stupid." Sarah said.

                      She didn't listen. "Kenny, Sullivan's home phone number, now!"

                      "Right, okay! This is so stupid!"

                      She continued to order around. "Jeff, the phone!" and the poor guy did as he was told. I'm guessing that it's not many more then me who actually has enough bravery to stand up against her angry mood.

                      "You still here?" She asked me, with a sweet voice.

                      I shrugged. "You kidding? I wouldn't miss this! This is the first time I've seen you really enjoying yourself!"

                      "Keep watching!" She simply said.

                      "Lynda, is this about yesterday?" Sarah asked, making me wonder: What about yesterday? What had happened yesterday?

                      "It's got nothing to do with yesterday!" Yeah, right. Whatever it was, it really seemed to be the reason.

                      "Yesterday?" Kenny asked. He was getting curious as well.

                      "Look, could everyone just stop going on about yesterday, okay? Is this the number?"

                      "Yeah."

                      "Good. Tell me one more time, Spike. Tell me you're not coming in tonight so I can phone right now and *really* enjoy it. Come on, Spike. Make my day."

                      "Spike, no!" Sarah pleaded but I was so mad I just grabbed the nearest stack of paper and threw them at Lynda. Not the best weapon, perhaps…

                      "Lynda, this getting out of hand!"

                      Sarah looked at me. "Look, just tell her you're coming. What's one evening, what's five hours?"

                      "I'm dialing, Spike." Lynda said.

                      "She's dialing, Sarah."

                      "She's in kind of a funny mood at the moment. Did you hear about yesterday?"

                      "Yeah, sure. Wasn't that yesterday?" I answered, being the normal, ironic me.

                      Suddenly, Lynda started talking into the phone. "Mr. Sullivan? Ah, this is Lynda. Could you wait just one moment?" She looked up and said: "Goodbye. Send us a postcard. Wish you were there already."

                      I was so mad. I'm sure if someone had poured a bucket of water over me, the water would have started boiling. So, I turned my back against Lynda, and walked out.

                      Just a few seconds later, I heard steps behind me. I turned around, halfy expecting to see Lynda. But I was wrong. Instead Sarah was standing there.

                      "She didn't mean that. You want know what happened yesterday? Her boyfriend, you know that creep Armstrong? He ended his relationship with Lynda yesterday, with the explanation what he needed sometime for studying."

                      I shrugged. "Yeah? No wonder she's so mad..." Now, I felt really bad instead. "But I don't understand why she always wants to take out her anger over me…"

                      "You know, Spike. You usually put yourself into that spot."

                      "I know." I smirked. "Well, I guess this is good bye, then. I have nothing more to do here, and we probably won't see each other any more in school." I turned to leave, but Sarah stopped me.

                      She gave out a laugh. "Actually, she never called. I saw the number she dialed. It goes to the weather forecast…" She became serious again. "But, if you won't come tonight, she probably will call. Mark my words: You better come."

                      "I'm intending to. But not for my own case, Sarah. But thanks anyway." I kissed her softly on the cheek. "Don't worry. I might ask you out one day. You don't have to get over me yet." I turned around and walked out.

                      Lynda has always thought that I saw some kind of hooligan. I, honestly, can't blame her for that. I've never shown my sensitive side, or whatever. But this once I will show her that I'm not the total jerk she's pointed me out to be.

                      So, I went home again. I had to grab some money before I went out shopping everything I needed. When I arrived home, I opened the door and shouted loudly: "Hey, dad! I'm going to eat out with a couple of friends. Can I take some money?"

                      Honestly, we're not rich, my dad and I. He doesn't work, and I have to go to school. But since my dear mother is rather successful, she sends us money every month. And that's not a little money either.

                      I heard him shout a: "Yeah, yeah…" So I walked in, grabbed some money from my dad's wallet and went out again to buy some food.

                      I went to the best butcher in town to get the chicken. Crichton, the butcher, has usually rather expensive prizes. But since I know him, I usually get everything I buy there a lot cheaper. And even if I didn't, I wouldn't buy meat anywhere else.

                      Then, I went to a small grocery store for some vegetables and garlic. I surely hope Lynda likes Chinese.

                      When I arrived home again, I had two huge bags with groceries. I placed them temporarily in the fridge. I glanced at the clock in the kitchen: It was already five o'clock.

                      I ran into my room. I thought that, if I was about to show Lynda that I wasn't the jerk she thought I was, I couldn't march in there in my usual white sweater and leather-jacket. I opened my wardrobe and took out one of my nicer shirts and placed it on my bed.

                      I took of my old leather-jacket and shirt. Threw them onto the floor, not caring really, and dressed myself in the shirt. I combed my hair again, since it had been ruffled when I took of my sweater.

                      I looked myself into the mirror and smiled. I almost didn't recognize myself, if it hadn't been for the fact that I had forgotten to take of my sunglasses. "Almost forgot." I muttered to myself while placing them onto my nightstand.

                      I took a quick glance at my feet and saw that my socks had already started to get dirty, so I decided to change them. I took them of, threw them on top of the rest of my clothes, and started to rummage through my sock drawer. But the first thing I found wasn't a pair of socks, like I had hoped; instead I found my old watch. So I took it and placed it in my pocket and continued to look for a pair of socks. When I finally found a pair, and had taken them on, I ran out from my room and into the kitchen.

                      "I'm going out again. Won't be back until late. Don't wait up." I shouted into the living room. I heard my dad grunt in respond, so I just walked over to the fridge, took out the food that I had bought earlier and took an apron from a cabinet. Then I walked out and back to the Junior Gazette.

                      I burst into the newsroom and exclaimed: "Hi, guys! I'm here, I'm ready and I'm feeling dangerous! You know, I looked in the mirror today, I was looking so great it just gave up!" and placed the bags onto the nearest desks.

                      I heard Kenny say: "So, nothing can make you happier than this, right?" I could only wonder what he meant.

                      I was hoping Lynda would say something about that she was sorry, or that she was happy to see me, but all she said was: "You're late."

                      "Yeah?" I said while taking up my watch from my pocket. "Well, according to my watch I'm early. And two hundred meters below sea level in Finland."

                      "You were supposed to be here before half past five!" She continued.

                      "My Aunt gave me this watch for my fourteenth birthday. And a name of a place where I could get it fixed."

                      "And what happened to you not coming here at all?" I noticed that she was getting rather annoyed with me by now.

                      …But I continued to ignore her. "I was kind of touched, you know. I was ages in the sock drawer - were looking for it like a maniac." In the corner of my eye I saw Tiddler walking up to us.

                      "Hi, Spike!" She said, cheerily.

                      "Hi, Tids!" I said. I was rather shocked to see her. Lynda usually never allowed the younger ones to do a late shift. "What are you doing here?"

                      "I got Sarah's yellow." She answered simply.

                      I cocked an eyebrow. "Yeah? I heard they can cure that now."

                      Lynda was the one to answer. "I certainly intend to."

                      Tiddler laughed. "You're crazy!"

                      I'm not sure weather or not she meant me or Lynda, but I couldn't help myself to say: "Oh, must be that outfit. It's driving out of my mind."

                      "Do you like it?" Tiddler asked.

                      "Like it?" I answered. "I lover it! You know, I've heard they can pick up those colors on radar now."

                      "He's so crazy!"

                      "Hey, I've got a story for you - a true story. Come here." I told Tiddler, "I've got this uncle, right? They call him Crazy Eddie. Well, this kind of worries him. He said to me 'Spike, I don't like people calling me Crazy Eddie. My name is Bob!'. But anyway, Crazy Eddie decides he needs a new grass-catcher for his mower. Wacky guy, right? So he goes to the mower shop and asks if they've got the right kind of grass-catcher for his make of mower. And the guy says 'I'm sorry, sir, but we don't have one in this week. But if you care to come back next week, we should have some stocked in, okay?' So, next week Crazy Eddie goes back to the store, buys the right kind of grass-catcher for his make of mower." I paused for a second, looking at Kenny and Tiddler who were looking expectantly at me. Of course – they were waiting for the punch-line. "Okay, I said that it was true – I didn't say it was interesting.

                      Tiddler started laughing.

                      "Don't you think you've something to say to me?" Lynda asked.

                      I looked her into her eyes. "Suddenly she stood before him. Their eyes met. Especially hers. You really ought to do something about that squint."

                      "I don't have a squint!" She exclaimed.

                      "Oh no? Must be mine."

                      "Here we go." I could hear Kenny say from behind.

                      "Yeah." Tiddler answered.

                      "So what happened to the guy who was too tough to come in tonight? Don't tell me you were frightened of little old me!"

                      "You know, if you did have a squint, it might actually improve your appearance."

                      "If I had a squint, it would certainly improve yours!"

                      Was Lynda joking? Man, it is first time for everything! "Oh, were you being funny there? I mean, I've heard rumors about you doing this."

                      She glared. "I've got a sense of humor, the same as everyone!"

                      "Yeah, you told me once but, I thought you were joking!"

                      "Probably because I always laugh every time I look at you." Man, she was angry again.

                      "Ha! You laugh? We'd have to use electrodes!"

                      "Yeah, on you!"

                      Kenny interrupted. "Look, can we just calm this down a minute, please?"

                      "Tell her, she's the one who needs to relax." Which was true, I was actually rather calm.

                      "I'm perfectly relaxed!" She almost shouted out,

                      "You're so uptight your feet don't reach the ground!" I said, knowing that she would be to curious not to look. And almost directly after I said that, she looked down. "Made you look!"

                      I guess that Kenny was getting rather tired of us. "Look, we've got a whole evening to get through here. Spike, you're just trying to wind Lynda up and you know it! And Lynda, you don't usually let him get to you like this. What's wrong?"

                      "I know." I said. "Sarah told me."

                      Lynda looked at me for a moment before walking into the graphics room and slammed the door shut.

                      "Is this about yesterday again?" He was getting curious again. "Somebody please tell me what happened yesterday."

                      "Lynda's boyfriend made history." I answered before walking over to the graphics room and opening the door. Lynda simply looked at me for a second before starting to work again. "Lynda… After I left, Sarah caught up with me and told me. Just when I was feeling good about my big exit."

                      Lynda glared. "Spike, if I'd wanted your sympathy, you'd know. I'd have asked everyone else first!"

                      I was starting to get angry. I tried to be nice, but what did I get? "Fine! Terrific! I tried but that's it!" I started to walk out.

                      Kenny's voice stopped me. "Where are you going?"

                      "Where do you think?" I answered. Yes, I was fuming again.

                      "Hey Spike!"

                      "Look, Kenny, thanks for trying and everything, but I'm leaving, okay? Before this gets anymore stupid!" I grabbed the door handle and opened the door but before I had the time to leave, Colin marched in. …Clad as a pink bunny…

                      "Hi everyone!" He said.

                      "Colin…?" Kenny asked, baffled.

                      "Surprised to see me?" Colin asked.

                      I stared at the bunny-suit. "Ah… Yeah…"

                      "I hate asking the most obvious question…" Lynda started but Colin broke her of.

                      "I bet you're all wondering how I got invited to Warner Edison's house tonight, aren't you?"

                      "Well, actually…" She tried again

                      "I could hardly believe it myself! Fifty-eight shops he's got, and four pubs. This guy could buy Scotland as a tax loss! I'd had a bit of business with him, get a bit of advertising from him, and he invites *me* over to his house to discuss *my* future. I mean, wow, right?" Colin said. He was obviously really excited.

                      "And you're on your way there now, yeah?"

                      "Yeah! Just thought I'd stop off for a pep talk! He's a formal kind of a guy, you know. Dead serious, no sense of humour. I don't mind telling you, I'm as nervous as anything! I'm uptight; I've got the jitters... I hardly know what I'm doing! Does it show?"

                      We all looked at him.

                      "Well…" Lynda started.

                      "A bit, yeah…" I finished for her.

                      "Really? How?"

                      "Well, it's kind of hard to pin down, exactly." I answered.

                      "I know what it is." Colin said. "It's my mother!"

                      "Your mother?" Kenny asked, looking like he didn't really believe what he saw or heard.

                      "Crazy woman!" Colin exclaimed. "I told her, I told her I was meeting Warner Edison tonight. I told her it was the single most important day of my whole life! But it's my little sister's birthday party, and do you know what she makes me do? Do you know what she makes me do just to entertain the little brat?"

                      "She made you dress up like a rabbit?" Lynda said, halfy stating, halfly asking.

                      "Exactly! I mean, no wonder I'm still…" He started, and then realized Lynda had "guessed" correctly. "How did you know?"

                      "I had a few pointers."

                      "No, really - that's amazing. Just one look at me and you guessed I was dressed as a rabbit."

                      She walked up to him. "Look, Colin. You're obviously kind of worked up, on edge. I mean, you're all excited and you don't quite know which end is up. Do you know what I'm saying? The point is; I just think that on your way here from the party there might have been something you forgot to do." She took hold of the rabbit ears attached to the costume and pulled them down over his face.

                      Colin took of the bunny nose and looked at it. "My life is over." He then stated simply before walking up to a wall and started to bang his against it.

                      "Colin, no!"

                      "Come on, Colin." Kenny said, in a desperate attempt to cheer him, up. "What's the big deal?"

                      "'What's the big deal?' he says to me. Kenny, this is the single most important day of my whole life! And I'm a rabbit."

                      "So, go home and change!" I told him.

                      "'Go home and change', he says to me, 'go home and'... I love that idea. It's a great idea, Spike - I love it. It's neat, it's simple. It works, it's effective...They'll all be at the cinema by now. Lucky I've got my house keys in my jack pocket, eh?" He said while walking out.

                      "So, how long before he realizes he's not wearing a jacket?" I couldn't help myself.

                      A moment after I say that, we hear a laud, desperate wail from the corridor. Lynda walked out.

                      I couldn't really hear what they were saying, just some muffled words like: …whining… run… left yet… chance… go… move… go!

                      I can only wonder what she said, because when she went back inside, she came alone and no Colin in sight.

                      "Poor guy… real shame for him." Lynda said when she came in.

                      I agreed. "It is."  
  


                      Tiddler smiled, desperately trying not to laugh. And I must confess I was too. "Awful."

                      We all burst out laughing.

                      About a half an hour later, Kenny walked up to me. "So, what history did Lynda's boyfriend make?" Poor Kenny, he must have been really curious.

                      I couldn't help that I was happy. I was… I am, really into her. "Lynda's boyfriend made history of Lynda."

                      Kenny's eyes got wide. "Armstrong dumped her?"

                      "Yep!" I couldn't help that I sounded so happy, I was!

                      "Could you get your facts straight?" Lynda exclaimed. "I haven't been dumped! James is doing math at college, he just needs some time to himself for study." 

                      I snickered.

                      "He is so studying, he told me! He's doing a ting on Venn diagrams!" She said. She was clearly really annoyed at me again.

                      "Yeah?" I answered, making a snappy comeback. "She sounds foreign."

                      "That's so typical of you, Spike, so pathetically typical." Now she was mad, real mad. So I thought it was about time to change subject.

                      "Yeah, right. Do you eat Chinese?"

                      "What?" She looked baffled

                      "I'm hungry. Time for dinner." I jumped up onto a desk.

                      "Well, we usually go down the fish-and-chip shops." Kenny told me.

                      I nodded while taking the apron from one of my bags and putting it on.

                      "What are you doing?" Lynda stared.

                      "Peking-style chicken and garlic." I told her. "Sound okay?" 

                      She started at me like I had said that I was her future child with Kenny. "You can cook?"

                      "Yeah. Well at my house it's either me or my dad." I said offhandedly. "He only does beans. Ever seen my dad? Big stubble and dirty T-shirts. He's the sort of guy whose only serious interest in life is breaking wind, you know? That's why he likes beans - it's a meal he can enjoy twice. Tiddler, take these, set up a table for us, yeah?" I said changing the subject quickly, not really wanting to talk about my dad.

                      "Yeah, sure." Tiddler said.

                      "Thanks."

                      Lynda still looked shocked. "I can't believe this. I don't."

                      "Here, Tiddler, I'll give you a hand." Kenny said. "I want a word with you anyway." I don't know if Kenny really had something to say to Tiddler, or if he just wanted to leave me and Lynda alone. Either way, I was happy he did.

                      Lynda just stood and watched me cook. I'm not sure if it was that interesting, though.

                      "So, doesn't your mother do any cooking?" She asked.

                      Just the question I was afraid of. "She left when I was four. And when I was five; and when I was six." I said with a shrug. "She left kind of a lot, you know. Mom and Dad always used to have these really huge rows. Which would end with my Mom coming up to my room and saying she was leaving. That was my first word, leaving. That's what I thought they were - Dad and leaving. I once counted; she left home two hundred and seventeen times. Sometimes more on a Saturday."

                      "It must have been pretty rough."

                      "Yeah - especially Christmas. They would always have these really huge rows at Christmas. I mean, when I was a kid I thought Santa was a marriage counsellor, you know?" I said. I wasn't sure if Lynda got that I was kidding about that. But you know me, can't stay serious for a longer while.

                      "Why do you joke about it? That's just a way of hiding your feelings." I guess that answered my question.

                      "Hiding my feelings?" I exclaimed. "Look who's talking!"

                      "What do you mean?"

                      "Venn diagrams?" I stated simply.

                      "Look, James did not dump me, okay?" She answered. 

                      "Sure." I stopped cooking and followed Lynda as she seated herself at her desk, toying with a pencil. "Lynda…" 

                      She broke the pencil in half and quickly grabbed a new one, which she started to toy with as well.

                      "Tiddler uses this so she can reach up to her typewriter." I said, holding up a pillow. "Why don't you take it outside, kick the hell out of it – pretend it's your boyfriend?"

                      "Spike, I have no reason whatsoever to wish to kick hell out of that pillow while pretending that it's my boyfriend, okay? Even if it does look a bit like him - has about as much backbone... I just don't have any feelings of aggression or hostility to work off, understood?" She said angrily while braking the second pencil she had been toying with.

                      I couldn't help but to ask: "How many pencils are you on a day?"

                      "Spike, I was not dumped!" She exclaimed.

                      Suddenly Colin walks in. Still clad in the bunny suit, but it's was now dirty and torn at some places. He sank into a chair, looking defeated. "Guys you've got to help me! Let me just give you a tip. Never try to thumb a lift dressed as a giant pink rabbit - I almost caused a major traffic disaster on the Sherrington Road."

                      I had a hard time not to chuckle at that.

                      "Didn't you make it to Warner Edison?" Kenny asked.

                      "Are you kidding? Didn't even make it to my own house on time." He exclaimed.

                      "They were gone?" I asked.

                      "What did you do?" Tiddler asked, almost at the same time.

                      Colin chose to answer Tiddler's question rather then mine. "Panicked. Screamed. Had three nervous breakdowns. I even tried to get in through the toilet window. Hell of a time for two policemen to walk past."

                      "No!" Kenny said, not really believing what Collin said.

                      "Yeah. I think I must have looked rather suspicious." 

                      I had to agree with Colin on that. A boy in a pink bunny-suit, trying to get inside a house, through a window, would look rather suspicious. Even with the police. "Were you busted?" I asked.

                      "Nearly. I ran for it. I was all over town before I gave them the slip. I think they've got my description."

                      "I've got to write this down!" Tiddler exclaimed while grabbing her notebook and writing furiously into it.

                      Colin looked at me. "Listen, can I have your clothes?"

                      I was taken slightly aback by that question. "What?" I asked.

                      "I've got to change into something. I can't miss this meeting, Spike. It's a big career moment for me." He said, looking really desperate.

                      "Okay, I suppose so." I said, feeling sympathy for him.

                      "Great!"

                      "Hey girls," I shouted out, "would you mind? I'm going to strip of here." I started to unbutton my shirt.

                      Lynda quickly answered. "We're not looking!"

                      I grinned. "I know. Would you mind?" I absently noted that Colin seemed to have troubles with the bunny-suit. And soon, my suspicions were confirmed.

                      "The zipper is stuck! It's completely stuck!" Colin said, desperately.

                      Kenny walked over to him. "Look, it can't be. Let me see." He tried to open it a couple of times. "You're right - it's totally stuck."

                      "That's it - I'm out. I'm finished. I'm dead. Just tell my parents and put me in the wok."

                      "Why is it such a disaster, Colin?"

                      "Why? Kenny, there are certain things you can't do stuck in a pink rabbit costume! Like meet Warner Edison, for one. Certain other things I could mention too. My legs are crossed in four places." He said. Colin was clearly being very frustrated right now.

                      "Then why don't you just go as you are?" Kenny asked, as I started to button my shirt again.

                      "Oh, great plan, Kenny! Terrific, fantastic! Maybe he won't even notice! Maybe he'll just think I'm overweight and furry!" Now he was entering phase "ironic". Welcome to my world.

                      "Yeah, I suppose you're right, Colin. I mean, even you haven't got the kind of silver tongue to talk your way out of this one, right?" Kenny said, knowing he would hit a soft spot.

                      And as planned; Colin got up with his cheesy seller-smile. "Are you serious? Hey guys, you weren't actually taken in by my little joke there, were you? You didn't actually think I was upset there, did you? I mean, don't just stand there gawking, guys. If you only knew how stupid you all look!" He walked out again.

                      Tiddler, Kenny and I started to laugh. But apparently; this only made Lynda even angrier. "I was not dumped!"

                      Later, when I finally was done with cooking, we all sat down around the table Tiddler and Kenny had prepared for us.

                      "This looks great, Spike." Kenny said.

                      "My food always looks great. Know what my secret is?" I paused for a second. "Paint." I held up a pair of chopsticks. "Everyone use these, okay?"

                      "Yeah, my dad taught me." Tiddler said with a smile.

                      "No sweat." Kenny answered.

                      "Lynda?" I asked.

                      "Of course I can. Sure." She said quickly. Perhaps a bit too quickly. She picked up her chopsticks. I looked at her, waiting for her to start. "No problem, okay?"

                      "Mmm… This is great, Spike. No kidding, honestly. It's really terrific." Kenny said. It sure warmed my heart. My dad never complimented me on anything.

                      "It's really nice." Tiddler said.

                      "So, what do you think?" I asked Lynda, noticing her problems with the chopsticks.

                      "I'm just…" She finally managed to pick up a piece of chicken and put in her mouth. "Not bad." She finally says. She tried to take another piece but drops it. 

                      By now, everyone stared at her. "Get on with your eating!" She said when she noticed us staring. We all continued to eat until Lynda somehow managed to fling a piece of chicken at Kenny.

                      "Lynda…" He said.

                      "Sorry." She answered.

                      "Look," I said, thinking that I might as well help her, "you just hold the chopstick across here, okay?"

                      "I'm managing!" She said through her teeth.

                      I sighed. "Can't you admit defeat at anything? Boyfriend or chopsticks?" I guess I managed to hit a soft-spot, because suddenly she picks up another piece of chicken and placed it into her mouth. I get the hint and start eating as well while the others stare at us.

                      A while later, I only have one large piece left while Lynda had many smaller, scattered on her plate. I looked at her with a smile while toying with the chopsticks.

                      She glares and I vaguely notice Kenny and Tiddler exchanging glances. Suddenly, she strikes at her plate, using one of her chopsticks as a spear, marking all her pieces of chicken and putting them into her mouth.

                      I can't help but to stare as she wipes her mouth with a napkin. "Lynda, you're the only person I know who eats dinner to win."

                      Kenny and Tiddler glances at her and Lynda sits quiet for a couple of seconds. "I was dumped, wasn't I?" She finally says. She got up and walked out to the bathroom.

                      "Do you think she's…" I just couldn't finish the line, "well, you know."

                      "You think she does?" Kenny asked quietly.

                      "Maybe her eyes were just sweating." Tiddler said, trying to sheer us up.

                      Suddenly Colin walks in again, looking awful.

                      "Colin?" I asked.

                      "Hi, Colin, what's wrong?" Kenny asked.

                      "How was Warner Edison?"

                      "Dead." Colin answered us.

                      "What?"

                      "He had a heart attack last Wednesday, two hours after he phoned me to come round. It was his funeral this afternoon, and they were having a sort of a gathering at his house. Do you know what I really wish?" He asked looking ready to cry.

                      "What?" Tiddler asked.

                      "I wish that I hadn't pushed past the guy that opened the door, rushed into the house and shouted 'Hi Warner, I'm a bunny-gram!'." He threw out his arms. "Do you have any idea what it's like to have every single rich and powerful person in town dressed in black and staring at you, while you're wearing a giant pink rabbit costume to a funeral? Excuse me; I'm just going into the toilet to whimper for a while."

                      "Colin, we've already got somebody whimpering in there. Maybe you'd like to go under one of the desks." Kenny suggested.

                      "Fine. Thanks." He said, while crawling under one of the desks and began to whimper.

                      I got up from my sitting position on the table and started walking out to the corridor.

                      "What are you doing, Spike?" Kenny asks me. "I think you should just leave her alone."

                      I ignored him and walked out into the corridor and knocked on the toilet door. "Lynda? Hey look, I know you're upset. I know you're probably crying." I took a deep breath. "Look, there's something I wanna say. You don't have to answer, or anything. This is kind of difficult..." I paused for a second, thinking over what I should say. "I mean, my dad - he thinks apologizing is what your wife does if you hit her enough. Anyway... Well, the point is... Well the reason I came in here tonight was... was to show you that I'm not the total jerk that you thought I was! You know, maybe what I found out was that you weren't the total, well..." I paused again. "Well, that you were human. I mean, there have been rumours! Look, all I'm trying to say is... is that it's okay to be, well you know, human. I mean, you don't have to hide it! I mean, we won't think you're a lousy editor because you... well because you cry and stuff, right? Okay?"

                      Lynda opened the door and stepped out, walking right pass me into the newsroom. Pretending that I wasn't even there.

                      "Okay everyone, let's get something done here! Tiddler, clear the dishes. Kenny, I want to look at how we are reporting the school trip. I mean it's hill-walking, right? That's potentially controversial, maybe even dangerous. Let's get an angle."

                      "Okay, Boss. I'll get Freddie's notes."

                      "Lynda…  Are you really expecting us to believe you weren't crying in there?" I asked, baffled.

                      "Of course I wasn't crying! Spike, he was just some guy I went out with." She answered, making it sound like dating and getting in love was something you just could stomp over. And in way, I guess she just had.

                      "Why don't you just take a minute and relax?" I asked, being a bit worried over her health.

                      "I'm fine!"

                      "You can't keep this up – no body can!" She was doing overwork! She didn't even allow herself to relax even after such a thing.

                      "Watch me!" She hissed. I could Colin whimpering in the background. Well, maybe Colin could do the crying for Lynda.

                      "Right, Kenny, what have we got? Do you know what I think? I think we should…" Right then and there, I gave up. I sat down on one of the tables and just shook my head. Lynda Day was simple enough not a normal teenage girl.

                      And I really loved her for it.


End file.
